Guidelines

Maker Faire has developed a set of guidelines that Mini Maker Faires are required to follow. Please review these carefully before applying for a license.

Application Basics

Who Can Apply Anyone can apply for a Mini Maker Faire license. Licenses can be granted to non-profits, businesses, institutions and museums, schools, community organizations, government entities, and individuals.

License You must have a signed license agreement in order to organize a Mini Maker Faire. You may not use the Maker Faire brand or trademark without this license.

Advance Planning Please apply for a license no later than six months before your proposed event date (preferably nine months before).

Frequency Licenses are for one event over a 12 month period.

Renewal Organizers must reapply each year to renew their license, and must be in good standing (with all requirements fulfilled) to qualify for renewal.

Location Applicants should live in the city where the event is proposed.

Size Mini Maker Faires are more than 5 and less than 200 maker exhibits; attendance is less than 10,000. (If your scope/scale is larger than this, please continue to apply and indicate in the form that you would like to discuss our Featured Faire program.)

Duration It is highly recommended that first-year events are no more than one eight-hour day in duration.

Sub-EventsMaker Faire will consider applications for Mini Maker Faires as part of festivals or other events, assuming all requirements above and below are met.

Endorsements A minimum of three letters of support from a deliberate range of makers for your proposed event and organizational team is requested before approval of license.

License Fee Fees are applicable for both free and paid ticket events. Given the variety of types of organizations that apply (and the varying range of resources available), fees are determined in conversation with the applicant. Minimum fee for grassroots-driven events with no paid staff is $1000USD. For institution-driven events with paid staff, fees begin at $1500USD.

Branding

Naming Mini Maker Faires are named for a community, district, or city—but not for large metropolitan areas (e.g. Chicago, London, Paris), states, or countries. In the case of large cities, fairs can be named for areas or districts. In the case of approved sub-events, fair can be named for parent event.

Logos and Visual Identity Maker Faire will deliver a complete logo set to licensed fair organizer for use during the term of the license, for use only in conjunction with your event. (Logos are not to be designed by faire organizers.) Mini Maker Faire organizers must follow Maker Faire identity guidelines. Designed collateral is subject to review and approval.

Images We ask that organizers be sensitive to setting audience expectations and that they do not promote their event using images of large projects from other Maker Faires that will not be present at their event.

Websites Do not purchase, register, or utilize a domain name for your proposed fair. A custom domain, hosting and WordPress theme (with Call for Makers backend) is provided upon licensing. Customization is allowed, but must be in accordance with Maker Faire identity guidelines and is subject to design review before publishing.

Social Media Again, do not employ the Maker Faire trademark in a user name, page, or profile on any social media platform (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, G+, Flickr, etc) for a proposed event until your license has been secured.

Content

Subject Maker Faire is primarily designed to be forward-looking, showcasing makers who are exploring new forms and new technologies. But it’s not just for the novel in technical fields; Maker Faire features innovation and experimentation across the spectrum of science, engineering, art, performance and craft.

Character Maker Faire is a family friendly event; content should be appropriate for the entire family. Maker Faire is not a platform for politics or religion.

Call for Makers Maker Faire is an inclusive event, with a publicly promoted and open “Call for Makers” process.

Exhibitor FeesMakers do not pay to participate—unless they are a “Commercial Maker” and are primarily at the event to sell. Maker Faire is not, however a trade show; the percentage of Commercial Makers should be no greater than 25% of total exhibitors.

Maker Information The MAKE editorial team is interested in learning about makers all over the world! Thus all maker exhibit and contact information is shared with MAKE to the extent permitted by local law.

Ticketing

Registration and Ticketing Mini Maker Faire registration and ticketing for both free and paid events is run from the Maker Faire Eventbrite master account. Exceptions can be considered.

IRS Reporting Paid ticket event producers in the United States must complete a W2 form at licensing. Non-US residency paid ticket events organizers using the Maker Faire Eventbrite account must complete a W-8BEN form at licensing.

Sponsorship

Approaching Potential Sponsors Maker Faire is a family-friendly event; sponsors must align with the interests of this audience. Organizers are asked to share lists of target sponsors with MAKE through our Sponsorship Form before approaching them. Aspiring organizers may not pursue sponsorship until license is secured.

Editorial Control Sponsors shall have no editorial control over Maker Faire content.

MAKE as Sponsor Make: magazine is to be treated as a highest-tier sponsor of the event, by displaying the MAKE magazine logo wherever highest level sponsors are referenced (i.e. on the website, program, and in marketing materials for Licensee Event).

Other

Insurance Organizers are asked to evidence event insurance listing Maker Media Inc. as additionally insured no later than 30 days before the event.

Acknowledgement 1) Provided “About” page language explaining Make: and Maker Faire is to be displayed on the event website. 2) The website, the program guide and any press releases for the event must include the following tagline: “________ Mini Maker Faire is independently organized and operated under license from Maker Media, Inc.” 3) Make: is recognized as a sponsor (see Sponsorship, above).

After the Event

ClosureIt is customary to post a “wrap-up” message of thanks and appreciation to the event blog within 48 hours of the event. Email follow-up with makers and attendees (generally including surveys) is recommended.

Quality Assurance Organizers are asked to collaborate with MAKE on customization and distribution of both attendee and maker surveys within 15 days after the event.

Reporting Organizers must complete a post-event Producers’ Survey within 30 days of the event.